What does everyone think about Punta Cana right now? DD has a trip planned...

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

35,000 people die on US roads every year. I didn't want to live with that risk so I got rid of my car and moved to a place that didn't require driving

Driving. Thanks for the reminder. The U.S. fatality rate on the road is 12 per 100,000. In the DR, it's 29 per 100,000, well over twice the rate and one of the world's worst.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

HAHAHA let the memes begin!!!!

 

[mnrose]

There are plenty of beautiful beaches right here in the US. I have never understood the draw of these "all inclusive" resorts in shady developing island nations. Is it because they are cheap? What is it that draws people there? If you want a Caribbean vacation, there are plenty of islands that are far safer than DR. Pick any one of them instead. Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, etc.

I vacation in Cozumel (which is an island off Cancun, for those who don't know). One of the very best diving and snorkeling destinations IN THE WORLD. I've swam with large eagle rays on a sand bar far off the coast, where I could stand up, and let the rays swim around me. I've snorkeled with sea turtles. Seen dolphins and barracuda in their native habitat (not some cage). Spotted lobster and octopus. There is literally NOTHING in the United States, even Hawaii (which has some pretty good snorkeling) which compares. If you want to dive or snorkel, then guess what? Cozumel better be on your list. I will also add that when you travel there, you can get a fair dose of Mayan history and culture, which I find utterly fascinating as it is a culture which predates European culture. The food is beyond compare to any "Mexican" food you get in the US. And, I know that you've never probably been to Mexico, but the people are lovely, family oriented, and welcoming. That's why *I* go to Mexico, and I've never felt unsafe, not even for a second. Until you've been there, you are basing your decision on second hand information, and a view of Mexican people simply unsupported by reality.

I will also repeat, for those in the back, that Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Curacao, the Virgin Islands, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago (probably more too....just the ones I've grabbed quickly as they get mentioned) ALL have an intentional homicide rate higher than the Dominican Republic....indeed the Virgin islands have a homicide rate 3x as high as DR. If you want to be safe, you sure as hell don't want to go to any of those terrible places, right? Mexico is FAR safer than the Virgin Islands, yet people would "rather" go there? I don't get it. Not at all. I would never discourage someone from going to any of these places, but I sure don't get the broad brush used to paint these other Caribbean vacation destinations as either "safe" or "unsafe."

Come to think of it. Don't visit Cozumel. I want to keep it easy and accessible for myself.

 

[nkereina]

I have never understood the draw of these "all inclusive" resorts in shady developing island nations. Is it because they are cheap? What is it that draws people there?

To be fair, all inclusive resorts are great. Most are beautiful, they can be inexpensive, and they truly include all of your costs. Its a fun way to vacation with no budget concerns once you arrive. The DR probably has more AIs than other country I can think of except for Mexico. I know from where I live in NY, its also very easy and inexpensive to get to the DR on a nonstop flight. So I'm sure these are draws to the DR in particular. All of that being said, there are other countries with AIs and I would not take my chances on the DR at this point just because its cheap and easy. Not worth it!

I will also repeat, for those in the back, that Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Curacao, the Virgin Islands, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago (probably more too....just the ones I've grabbed quickly as they get mentioned) ALL have an intentional homicide rate higher than the Dominican Republic....indeed the Virgin islands have a homicide rate 3x as high as DR. If you want to be safe, you sure as hell don't want to go to any of those terrible places, right? Mexico is FAR safer than the Virgin Islands, yet people would "rather" go there? I don't get it. Not at all. I would never discourage someone from going to any of these places, but I sure don't get the broad brush used to paint these other Caribbean vacation destinations as either "safe" or "unsafe."

I'll take your word for it with respect to crime rates. But some of these countries, U.S. owned ones in particular, have a higher level of regulation in terms of food safety and other laws. If it ends up being pesticide poisoning and/or extreme salmonella (two things I've heard in recent DR reports), you're likely safer in Puerto Rico where these things are more regulated. And by nature, countries that have more money per capita (i.e. St. Lucia, St. Martin) have more money to govern these things and implement safer standards. So, its not fair to say one place is safer than another because its all relative until its determined what the common thread is with these occurrences.

 

[skyblue17]

I have never been to the Dominican Republic but I do travel to to Jamaica annually, which has had its own shares of things to be concerned about over the years (including the violence mentioned above and a few jarring resort reports). My take is similar to others in this thread. If you live in the world, you're at risk for things happening all the time. These countries rely upon their tourism, many of their residents work in tourism, and the American dollars brought to many of these islands are what help people get by (as its far more valuable than local currency). Many resorts cater specifically to tourists, and it's unlikely that food/drink concerns are as prevalent as they would be away from tourist-heavy areas. Reports can be scary, but no doubt the resorts are doing all they can to repair their images. I think the most worrisome thing about these instances is that they are happening at the all-inclusive resorts, which generally are safe and shielded from any local issues going on (such as violence in Montego Bay in Jamaica a few years ago). Either way, you take risks when you travel anywhere. It's easy for some to say they would never go to a place when they had never planned a trip to that location, or felt its appeal. But vacations should also be relaxing and restoring, so if you can't relax and feel comfortable, it might be better to go elsewhere.

 

[MillauFr]

To address the ridiculous premise first -- I live in an area that has almost no access to a public transportation system that's minimal at best. If you want to live here and succeed driving is a necessary evil.

This is the US. You have the freedom to live almost anywhere you want. My point is that people underestimate the risk of driving. For the vast majority of us it is by far the riskiest activity that we do on a daily basis. For me that is good enough to chose to live in a place where driving is a luxury, not a necessity. Sure I had to pay far more for my house to live in the city versus the suburbs and be satisfied with smaller yard but I was unwilling to risk my family's safety by putting them in harms way every day when they get behind the wheel.

 

[nkereina]

This is the US. You have the freedom to live almost anywhere you want. My point is that people underestimate the risk of driving. For the vast majority of us it is by far the riskiest activity that we do on a daily basis. For me that is good enough to chose to live in a place where driving is a luxury, not a necessity. Sure I had to pay far more for my house to live in the city versus the suburbs and be satisfied with smaller yard but I was unwilling to risk my family's safety by putting them in harms way every day when they get behind the wheel.

I'm not understanding the correlation to the DR. Are you saying that for people who are risk averse, they should choose to vacation elsewhere? Similarly to how you perceive driving to be high risk, so you choose to live where you don't need to drive? Not trying to have a snarky tone, just want to understand the point.

 

[sk!mom]

I vacation in Cozumel (which is an island off Cancun, for those who don't know). One of the very best diving and snorkeling destinations IN THE WORLD. I've swam with large eagle rays on a sand bar far off the coast, where I could stand up, and let the rays swim around me. I've snorkeled with sea turtles. Seen dolphins and barracuda in their native habitat (not some cage). Spotted lobster and octopus. There is literally NOTHING in the United States, even Hawaii (which has some pretty good snorkeling) which compares. If you want to dive or snorkel, then guess what? Cozumel better be on your list. I will also add that when you travel there, you can get a fair dose of Mayan history and culture, which I find utterly fascinating as it is a culture which predates European culture. The food is beyond compare to any "Mexican" food you get in the US. And, I know that you've never probably been to Mexico, but the people are lovely, family oriented, and welcoming. That's why *I* go to Mexico, and I've never felt unsafe, not even for a second. Until you've been there, you are basing your decision on second hand information, and a view of Mexican people simply unsupported by reality.

I will also repeat, for those in the back, that Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Curacao, the Virgin Islands, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago (probably more too....just the ones I've grabbed quickly as they get mentioned) ALL have an intentional homicide rate higher than the Dominican Republic....indeed the Virgin islands have a homicide rate 3x as high as DR. If you want to be safe, you sure as hell don't want to go to any of those terrible places, right? Mexico is FAR safer than the Virgin Islands, yet people would "rather" go there? I don't get it. Not at all. I would never discourage someone from going to any of these places, but I sure don't get the broad brush used to paint these other Caribbean vacation destinations as either "safe" or "unsafe."

Come to think of it. Don't visit Cozumel. I want to keep it easy and accessible for myself.

Just returned from a week at an AI in Cancun and I am hooked on this type of vacation. It was the level of relaxation that we needed. I hope to make an AI stay an annual summer kick off trip. Mexico will be my top choice for a few reasons- 1. It’s a 2.5 hour nonstop flight for us. 2. It is inexpensive enough that we can do that trip and a bigger trip to somewhere new later in the summer. 3. The people were lovely. Thanks for the recommendations on Cozumel. I think we’ll head there next time.

It's easy for some to say they would never go to a place when they had never planned a trip to that location, or felt its appeal. But vacations should also be relaxing and restoring, so if you can't relax and feel comfortable, it might be better to go elsewhere.

Bingo! It’ll be interesting to see real data on the effect on DR tourism in a few Months. Since, as you said, many saying, “I would cancel” were never going to go in the first place now or in the future.

The DR does concern me as my DD and her fiancé booked their honeymoon there before all of this started. They are adults living their own lives and I’m not the type of mom to meddle with unsolicited opinions on what they should do so I’m leaving it to the two of them to decide if they should check into changing. The trip isn’t until the fall so I hope things have settled down by then.

 

[Colleen27]

Sorry I dont play "the odds" game with mine or my families lives. Soooo many other safe places to go in the Caribbean. Why risk it?

Sure you do. You just have a different line for what level of risk is acceptable - the 1 in 800K odds in the DR are too dangerous, but the 1 in 1M+ of going to other islands (most of which have high poverty and crime rates overall) is okay.

There are plenty of beautiful beaches right here in the US. I have never understood the draw of these "all inclusive" resorts in shady developing island nations. Is it because they are cheap? What is it that draws people there? If you want a Caribbean vacation, there are plenty of islands that are far safer than DR. Pick any one of them instead. Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, etc.

The same thing that attracts people to Disney's dining plans - the fact that once the trip is booked you know what it is going to cost, inclusive of food and drinks, and don't have to think about the budget. Even tipping tends to be reduced to a per-day or per-event amount, rather than something that varies based on what you spent.

Also, the U.S. doesn't have many truly year-round beach destinations, and even fewer with the idyllic sand/water conditions of the Caribbean islands. Those that we do have tend to be very, very busy/developed or very expensive or both.

 

[cabanafrau]

This is the US. You have the freedom to live almost anywhere you want. My point is that people underestimate the risk of driving. For the vast majority of us it is by far the riskiest activity that we do on a daily basis. For me that is good enough to chose to live in a place where driving is a luxury, not a necessity. Sure I had to pay far more for my house to live in the city versus the suburbs and be satisfied with smaller yard but I was unwilling to risk my family's safety by putting them in harms way every day when they get behind the wheel.

Your family never leaves the security of the city, thus never faces the dangers of the road -- ever? They never cross a street where motor vehicles are in operation? They are never a passenger on a city bus? If they do any of those things they face the risk of driving. Perhaps you're counting infrequency as a mitigating factor? If so, it's a bit uncomfortably adjacent to suggesting that "just one time" won't ever result in pregnancy.

Your choice to avoid driving to protect your safety is a valid choice, for you. Others are free to make a different, valid choice, choosing to mitigate the risk of driving in other ways. Presumably you evaluated the risk of driving in making your choice of where to live. Why is it not equally valid for others to choose to evaluate the risk of travel? Is there no validity in the idea of watching to see if the cause of several unexplained deaths is revealed? If I were planning a trip to DR right now I'd want to understand the cause of these deaths before deciding to visit or not.

 

[lifesavacation]

Bingo! It’ll be interesting to see real data on the effect on DR tourism in a few Months. Since, as you said, many saying, “I would cancel” were never going to go in the first place now or in the future.

The DR does concern me as my DD and her fiancé booked their honeymoon there before all of this started. They are adults living their own lives and I’m not the type of mom to meddle with unsolicited opinions on what they should do so I’m leaving it to the two of them to decide if they should check into changing. The trip isn’t until the fall so I hope things have settled down by then.

I do believe the DR will see a decline in tourism. I would expect it to be similar to what Aruba saw when Natalee Holloway (sp?) disappeared.

 

[3smithboys]

I live outside of Philadelphia, and when my in-laws are here visiting from England and we watch the evening news they think they are visiting the 7th circle of Hell! The shootings they hear on the news are astonishing; however, we are not visiting the gangland/drug areas of the city.

Now, if people suddenly dying in the hotels in the tourist areas of the city and the mayor or police commissioner just shrugged their shoulders and said “heart attacks,” I’m pretty sure people would be pretty concerned.

 

[mom2rtk]

I wonder what the US's rating is for travelers who visit here.

Why? Has there been a rash of unexplained tourist deaths?

 

[sk!mom]

I do believe the DR will see a decline in tourism. I would expect it to be similar to what Aruba saw when Natalee Holloway (sp?) disappeared.

I agree. I think it will be due to fewer new bookings rather than cancelling. The DR is now less appealing. That will likely set off a cycle of even lower prices which will eventually entice people to return if they can get to the bottom of this issue.

 

[MillauFr]

Why? Has there been a rash of unexplained tourist deaths?

In Hawaii there are several every year. Yet very few people are concerned about it since they local authorities do a good job of making sure it isn't well publicized. When it is they make sure the coverage is slanted so the blame is assigned to the tourist for making poor decisions.

 

[mom2rtk]

In Hawaii there are several every year. Yet very few people are concerned about it since they local authorities do a good job of making sure it isn't well publicized. When it is they make sure the coverage is slanted so the blame is assigned to the tourist for making poor decisions.

So nationwide not a lot.

 

[MillauFr]

I'm not understanding the correlation to the DR. Are you saying that for people who are risk averse, they should choose to vacation elsewhere? Similarly to how you perceive driving to be high risk, so you choose to live where you don't need to drive? Not trying to have a snarky tone, just want to understand the point.

People's perception of risk is directly proportional to what they see in the news media. They do little actual research to determine the relative level of risk of various activities. They will perceive visiting Mexico as risky because they see headlines of news articles about all of the murders down there. They do not use their cognitive skills and read deeper into the articles to determine that the vast majority of those murders are between the drug dealers.

 

[MillauFr]

From the following article...

https://vitalvegas.com/insider-secrets-really-really-dont-want-know-las-vegas/
According to the Clark County coroner’s office, about 1,100 visitors die while in Las Vegas each year.

There is no way they are going to let this get widely publicized. That would do huge damage to the Las Vegas economy. People do not think visiting Las Vegas is risky because they never read about all of the deaths going on there. Even thought the death rate of tourists is far higher in Las Vegas than the DR people will think the former is less risky than the later.

 

[mom2rtk]

From the following article...

https://vitalvegas.com/insider-secrets-really-really-dont-want-know-las-vegas/
According to the Clark County coroner’s office, about 1,100 visitors die while in Las Vegas each year.

There is no way they are going to let this get widely publicized. That would do huge damage to the Las Vegas economy. People do not think visiting Las Vegas is risky because they never read about all of the deaths going on there. Even thought the death rate of tourists is far higher in Las Vegas than the DR people will think the former is less risky than the later.

So do you think there's some sort of cover-up going on in the Clark County Coroner's office?

 

[kidshop]

From the following article...

https://vitalvegas.com/insider-secrets-really-really-dont-want-know-las-vegas/
According to the Clark County coroner’s office, about 1,100 visitors die while in Las Vegas each year.

There is no way they are going to let this get widely publicized. That would do huge damage to the Las Vegas economy. People do not think visiting Las Vegas is risky because they never read about all of the deaths going on there. Even thought the death rate of tourists is far higher in Las Vegas than the DR people will think the former is less risky than the later.

Are these tourists dying in their hotel rooms or getting very ill and having to go to the hospital? Have couples been found dead together or died shortly after each other of some mystery ailment? That I would like to know about!